Two construction companies have been sentenced after a worker was hospitalised for nearly two weeks after being struck by a 124kg panel.
The man was working as a lift supervisor at a construction site at Eskdale Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle, on 22 January 2020.
He had been using a tower crane to lift a structured insulated panel (SIP). During the lifting operation, the SIP struck steelwork and fell on top of the worker.
He spent 13 days in hospital following the incident after fracturing his collarbone, shoulder blade, left ankle and left rib.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Tolent Construction Limited, the principal contractor, had failed to properly plan, manage and monitor the construction phase. This resulted in a failure to ensure a suitable and sufficient lift plan was in place for the lifting of individual SIPs. Most importantly, the lift plan failed to stipulate how the individual SIPs were to be safely lifted and failed to consider proximity hazards or how the SIPs would be adequately controlled during the lifting operation.
